Rail anchor



Patented Feb. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE LOOP 'MOORE AND JAMES ROBERT STEELE, OI OWEGO, NEW YORK BAIL ANCHOR Application filed April 4,

Our invention relates to an anchor or anticreeper device for railroad rails.

The object of our invention is to provide a one-piece self-locking anchor which will grip the rail with great tenacity and prevent the creeping of same.

The novel features of our invention will be more fully understood from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the anchor illustrating its initial position when applying it to a rail;

Fig. 2 is an end portion of the anchor illustrating its cooperation with the flange edge of the rail at an intermediate position when applying the anchor to a rail;

Fig. 3 is a view of the anchor similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except, that it is illus- 2 trated in its effective gripping position on a rail;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the anchor shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross'section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3 rand Fig. 6 is a plan view of the base flange overhanging portion shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing: 10 designates a rail supported on a tie'plate'll carried on a tie 12. An anchor, made in accordance with our invention, as shown in the drawing, comprises an under rail portion 13 having an inwardly bent flange overhanging portion 14,

and an end upwardly directed toe portion 15.

The under rail portion 13 has a substantially straight section 16 which extends from the toe portion 15 to a point substantially midway of its length; the remaining portion of said under rail portion constitutes a downwardly sloping section 17 which continues in a loop upwardly to the flange overhanging portion 14.

The free end of theportion 14 is widened laterally to provide a pair of spaced finger portions 18 and 19 separated by a groove 20 and each having a rail contact surface 21, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. The surfaces 21 are preferably in alignment and are curved, as at 22, with a radius which is substantially equal to or preferably smaller than was. Serial No. 287,855.

the radius of the fillet 23 formed at the junction of the flange and web of the rail.

The inner vertical face of the toe portion 15 is of stepped formation to provide a plurality of. offset faces, preferably two in number, designated by the numerals 24 and 25, respectively, and which are preferably substantlally parallel to each other.

Our device is applied to a rail by placing it transversely on the rail to a position adjacent the side of the tie, so that curved surfaces.21 abut the surface of the fillet 23. The anchor is preferably so proportioned that when it is hung on fillet 23, in its initial position, as shown in Fig. 1', the preponderancy of its weight is at the right hand of the web of the rail, and the shortest distance between the curved surfaces 21 and the face 24 of the toe portion 15 is less than between the shortest distance between the surface of the fillet 23 and the edge of flange of the rail at the opposite side, and further, the shortest distance between the curved surfaces 21 and the face 25 is less than the first mentioned distance. It will thus be seen, that, when the anchor is in its initial position it hangs loosely on the fillet 23 and the upper end of the toe portion 15 engages the base of rail, without any appreciable pressure, at a point somewhat short of the contiguous edge of the rail base. When the anchor is struck a sharp blow with a hammer, or other suitable implement, at the point 26, in the direction of the arrow, the metal in the loop portion is sprung and toe portion 15 snaps over the edge of the rail base, the face 24 engaging such edge, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the latter position the anchor grips the rail and upon a second sharp blow of the hammer, at the point 26, the toe portion snaps further on the rail and the face 25 engages the contiguous edge of the rail, as shown in Fig. 3, and the anchor, thus distorted, securely and effectively grips the rail by virtue of it tending to assume the condition from which it was sprung.

It will be noted that in the position shown in Fig. 3 the shortest distance between the curved surfaces 21 and the face 25 of the toe portion 15 is greater thanin the normal condition of the anchor before being applied to the rail, so that, as the anchor tends to assume its normal condition, its resilient action presses the curved surfaces 21 against the fillet 23 and the face 25 of the toe portion 15 firmly against the contiguous edge of the rail flange.

In the latter position of the anchor, the upper surface of the straight section 16 is in close contiguity with the base of the rail, but does not normally enga e the latter with any appreciable pressure. owever, when the rail begins to creep, under service conditions, the under rail portion 13 firmly engages the side face of the stationary tie 12, and the anchor tends to tilt about a horizontal axis.-

This tilting action greatly increases the gripping action of the anchor 'on the rail, the edge 27 of the straight section pressing firmly and upwardly against the base of the rail resisted -by a downward pressure of the spaced finger portions 18 and 19 against the fillet 23 with a resultant increased pressure of the face 25 of the toe portion against the contiguous edge of the base flange of the rail.

By widening the free end of the portion 14 to provide a pair of contact surfaces 21, each of which is disposed at a distance laterally from the vertical plane of the anchor,

the tendency of the latter to rock about its,

horizontal axis is resisted and the aforementioned tilting causes a strong pressure to be exerted against the base of the rail without an excessive tilting of the anchor. Thus, it is assured that, when the creeping action of the rail discontinuesand the rail tends to recede, the anchor is able to easily assume its upright position. When the anchor is assembled on a rail, as shown in Fig. 4, it resists the tendency of the rail .to creep in the direction of thearrow, and the tendency of the anchor to tilt in service is resisted largely by the finger portion 19. However in the event that the anchor is placed on the opposite side of the tie, but in the same rela tion to the base flange as shown in Fig. 3, the tendency of the anchor to tilt about its horizontal axis is resisted largely by the finger portion 18.

. It will be noted, that when our device'is applied to a rail, the free end of the portion 14 bears solely on the fillet 23, and as the anchor rotates about this hearing, during its transverse angular movement from its initial grippin position to its final gripping on the rail, said end remains in close contact with said fillet and maintains a strong transverse component pressure against the rail.

When it is so desired the anchor may be conveniently removed from the rail by merely striking the top of the toe portion 15 a sharp blow with a hammer.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that we have devised a simple anchor device which is easily applied to a rail and does not require to be held by the operator during such application. Furthermore, our construction is such that the overhan 'ng portion of the anchor engages solely the flllet at the junction of the flan e and the web of the rail, with the resut that there is scarcely any localized distortion occasioned, when the anchor is given a transverse angular movement to effect the gripping of the rail, and the stresses thus induced are distributed throughout the length of the anchor, so that a permanent set in the material of the anchor will not occur and it may be removed and replaced many times Without losing its eflicacy.

While'we have shown our invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. and we desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An anchor having an under rail portion, a portion adapted to engage the fillet at the junction of the web and base flange at one side of a rail at a plurality of spaced points and a portion adapted to engage the opposite side of the rail.-

2. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to said under rail portion, a fin ger member on said overhanging portion in ofi'set relation to the vertical plane of the anchor adapted to engage the fillet at the junction of the web and base flange at one side of a rail, and a portion adapted to engage the opposite side of the rail.

3. In a railway track construction the combination with a rail supported on a tie, of an anchor comprising an under rail portion, a portion connected to said under rail portion engaging the fillet at the junction of the web at a plurality of spaced points, and a portion engaging the opposite side of the rail.

4. An anchor having an under rail memher, a base flange overhanging member connected to one end of said under rail member having a portion thereof widened to provide a pair of spaced finger members, and a toe member connected to the other end of said under rail member.

5. An anchor comprising an under rail adapted to engage the opposite side of the rail.

6. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to said under rail portion, a pair of spaced finger members at the free end of said overhanging portion in offset relation to the vertical axis of the anchor adapted to engage the fillet at the junction of the web and base flange at one side of a rail, and a portion adapted to engage the opposite side of the rail.

7. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to said under rail portion and having its free end adapted to engage the fillet at'the junction of the web and base flange of a rail to which the anchor is to be applied, and a member extending from said under rail portion at its end opposite to said railflange overhanging portion, said free end being wider than the width of said under rail portion. 1

8. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to said under rail portion and having its free end adapted to engage the fillet at the junction of the web and base flange of a rail to which the anchor is to be applied, and a member extending from said under rail portion at its end opposite to said rail flange overhanging portion, said free end being bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced finger members.

9. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to said under rail portion and having its free end adapted to engage the flllet at the junction of the web and base flange of a rail to which the anchor is to be applied, and a member extending -from said under rail portion at its end opposite to said rail flange overhanging portion, said free end having a groove intervening a pair of bearing surfaces.

10. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion,

connected to one end of said under rail portion, a rail bearing member connected to the free end of said overhanging portion disposed in oflset relation to the vertical plane of the anchor. and a rail engaging member connected to the other end of said under rail portion.

11. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to one end of said under rail portion, a rail bearing member connected to said overhanging portion in oflset relation to the vertical longitudinal plane of said overhanging portion, and a railengaging member connected to the other end of said under rail portion.

connected to one end of said under rail ortion, a pair of spaced rail bearing mem ers connected to said overhanging portion in offset relation to the vertical longitudinal plane of said overhanging portion, and a rail engaging member connected to the other end of said under rail portion.

13. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to one end of said under rail ortion, a pair of spaced rail bearing members connected to said overhanging portion in offset relation to the vertical longitudinal plane of said under rail portion, and a rail engaging member connected to the other end of the latter portion.

14. An anchor comprising an under rail portion, a rail flange overhanging portion connected to one end of said under rail portion, a rail bearing member connected to said overhanging portion in oifsetrelation to the vertical longitudinal plane of said under rail portion, and a rail engaging member connected to the other end of the latter portion.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

GEORGE LOOP MOORE. JAMES ROBERT STEELE. 

